<?php

require_once __DIR__ . '/config.php';
require_once __DIR__ . '/functions.php';

$pageTitle = "How HouseSitList Works | Aggregator + Free Listings";
$pageDescription = "HouseSitList aggregates house sitting opportunities from every major platform, "
    . "plus lets homeowners list directly for free. Save searches, get email alerts, apply through the platform.";
$canonicalUrl = "https://housesitlist.com/how-it-works";

$headExtras = '';

$breadcrumbJson = json_encode([
    '@context' => 'https://schema.org',
    '@type' => 'BreadcrumbList',
    'itemListElement' => [
        ['@type' => 'ListItem', 'position' => 1, 'name' => 'Home', 'item' => 'https://housesitlist.com/'],
        ['@type' => 'ListItem', 'position' => 2, 'name' => 'How It Works', 'item' => $canonicalUrl],
    ],
], JSON_UNESCAPED_SLASHES | JSON_PRETTY_PRINT | JSON_HEX_TAG);
$headExtras .= "<script type=\"application/ld+json\">{$breadcrumbJson}</script>\n";

$ogTitle = htmlspecialchars($pageTitle, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
$ogDescription = htmlspecialchars($pageDescription, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
$ogUrl = htmlspecialchars($canonicalUrl, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8');
$headExtras .= "<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"{$ogTitle}\">\n"
    . "<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"{$ogDescription}\">\n"
    . "<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"{$ogUrl}\">\n"
    . "<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"website\">\n";

require_once 'header.php';
?>

<div class="container">
    <nav aria-label="breadcrumb" class="mt-3">
        <ol class="breadcrumb small">
            <li class="breadcrumb-item"><a href="/">Home</a></li>
            <li class="breadcrumb-item active" aria-current="page">How It Works</li>
        </ol>
    </nav>

    <header class="text-center py-5">
        <h1 class="display-5 fw-bold">How HouseSitList works</h1>
        <p class="lead text-muted mx-auto" style="max-width: 720px;">
            We aggregate house sitting opportunities from every major platform,
            and let homeowners list directly with us for free.
            One place to find sits — and to post them.
        </p>
    </header>

    <section class="my-5" aria-label="What we are">
        <div class="row justify-content-center">
            <div class="col-md-10">
                <h2 class="h3 text-center mb-4">Two things at once</h2>
                <div class="row">
                    <div class="col-md-6 mb-4">
                        <div class="p-4 bg-body-tertiary rounded h-100">
                            <h3 class="h5"><i class="fas fa-search text-success"></i> Aggregator</h3>
                            <p class="small text-muted mb-2">
                                We pull listings from MindAHome, MindMyHouse, HouseSitMatch, and Happy House Sitters
                                — refreshed multiple times a day. When you click through to apply, you go directly
                                to the source.
                            </p>
                            <p class="small text-muted mb-0">
                                One search covers what would otherwise mean checking four different sites.
                            </p>
                        </div>
                    </div>
                    <div class="col-md-6 mb-4">
                        <div class="p-4 bg-body-tertiary rounded h-100">
                            <h3 class="h5"><i class="fas fa-home text-success"></i> Direct listings</h3>
                            <p class="small text-muted mb-2">
                                Homeowners can list their sits directly with us for free — no commission,
                                no membership. Applications and messages happen through the platform, so
                                there's always a message trail.
                            </p>
                            <p class="small text-muted mb-0">
                                <a href="/host">List your sit &rarr;</a>
                            </p>
                        </div>
                    </div>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </section>

    <section class="my-5 py-5 px-3 bg-body-tertiary rounded" aria-label="For sitters">
        <h2 class="h3 text-center mb-5">If you're looking for a sit</h2>
        <div class="row">
            <div class="col-md-4 text-center mb-4">
                <div class="display-4 text-success fw-bold">1</div>
                <h3 class="h5">Search or browse</h3>
                <p class="small text-muted">
                    Filter by country, region, pet type, or dates. Every result includes photos,
                    dates, and details of the animals needing care.
                </p>
            </div>
            <div class="col-md-4 text-center mb-4">
                <div class="display-4 text-success fw-bold">2</div>
                <h3 class="h5">Save what you like</h3>
                <p class="small text-muted">
                    Sign up free to favourite listings and save searches. Get email alerts
                    when new sits match what you're after — no more refreshing five different sites.
                </p>
            </div>
            <div class="col-md-4 text-center mb-4">
                <div class="display-4 text-success fw-bold">3</div>
                <h3 class="h5">Apply</h3>
                <p class="small text-muted">
                    For our direct listings, apply through the platform — your message goes to the
                    homeowner and stays in your thread. For aggregated listings, we send you to the
                    source site to apply there.
                </p>
            </div>
        </div>
        <p class="text-center mt-3">
            <a href="/register" class="btn btn-success">Create a free account</a>
        </p>
    </section>

    <section class="my-5" aria-label="For homeowners">
        <h2 class="h3 text-center mb-5">If you're a homeowner</h2>
        <div class="row">
            <div class="col-md-4 text-center mb-4">
                <div class="display-4 text-primary fw-bold">1</div>
                <h3 class="h5">List your sit</h3>
                <p class="small text-muted">
                    Free to list. Add title, dates, description, photos, and which pets need care.
                    Takes about five minutes.
                </p>
            </div>
            <div class="col-md-4 text-center mb-4">
                <div class="display-4 text-primary fw-bold">2</div>
                <h3 class="h5">Sitters apply</h3>
                <p class="small text-muted">
                    You receive their message, bio and profile through the platform. Reply
                    directly, message back and forth, video-call if you like.
                </p>
            </div>
            <div class="col-md-4 text-center mb-4">
                <div class="display-4 text-primary fw-bold">3</div>
                <h3 class="h5">Choose your sitter</h3>
                <p class="small text-muted">
                    Confirm whichever sitter feels right. Both sides mark the sit as completed
                    afterwards, which is what makes the review system honest (details on
                    <a href="/safety">our safety page</a>).
                </p>
            </div>
        </div>
        <p class="text-center mt-3">
            <a href="/host" class="btn btn-primary">List your house sit &rarr;</a>
        </p>
    </section>

    <section class="my-5" aria-label="What's coming">
        <div class="p-4 border rounded">
            <h2 class="h5">What's coming</h2>
            <p class="small text-muted mb-2">
                <strong>Reviews:</strong> Airbnb-style bidirectional review system.
                Both sides review each other after a sit — neither can read the other's
                review until they've written their own. Prevents retaliation, encourages honesty.
            </p>
            <p class="small text-muted mb-0">
                <strong>Address verification:</strong> optional identity trust signal — mail a
                short verification code to the address you list. Not required, but visible when done.
            </p>
        </div>
    </section>

    <section class="my-5 text-center" aria-label="Read more">
        <h2 class="h4 mb-3">Read more</h2>
        <p class="mb-3">
            <a href="/safety" class="me-3">Safety &amp; how we help</a>
            <a href="/host" class="me-3">List your house sit</a>
            <a href="/faq">FAQ</a>
        </p>
    </section>
</div>

<?php require_once 'footer.php'; ?>
